In an announcement sent out by Boston Bikes, Mayor Marty Walsh’s citywide initiative to encourage more bicycling around the city, officials said the partnership would kick off this weekend, July 19 and 20, for ticketholders who are attending one of the two Red Sox games.

Called the “Fenway Park Bike Valet” program, the free service—something the Red Sox have been thinking about for quite awhile— will be located outside Gate D on the corner of Yawkey Way and Van Ness Street, where attendees usually file into the park to watch the games. The service will open two hours before the team takes the field, and close an hour after a game ends.

Nathaniel Fink, MassBike’s communications and outreach manager, said the new service would run as a pilot program this weekend, with the chance to expand for every weekend home game for the rest of the season. “Beyond that, if it works out, it could even come back next season,” he said. “It’s really a three-stage process right now, and this is the first stage.”

When the Red Sox put out a call for a vendor to operate the proposed bike valet service last month, MassBike, a non-profit advocacy group that frequently parks people’s bikes for free during city events, jumped on the opportunity. Not long after winning the bid, the organization announced the new opportunity so that Sox fans can attend Fenway games without having to pack onto a crowded Green Line train, or pay astronomical parking fees. “We think that this will relieve some congestion going to and from the games, and people will learn about the service and realize biking is an option. Then, hopefully, they will choose not to drive or take public transportation all the time,” said Fink.

Fink said MassBike will have four people stationed at the valet parking space during the peak hours before the game, and two people on hand during game play. He said the space where the bikes will be stored is big enough for 200 rides.

Fink expects the service to be popular, since parking a bike in the Fenway is currently difficult with limited options, and bikes are often left in the open as the large crowds file through the neighborhood. “Furthermore, there is a certain novelty to it,” he said. “It sends an important message that biking is a serious mode of transportation and legitimate option to get to the ballpark.”

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Chris Mcnally

Biking is a great way to get to Fenway if you live within 10 miles of the ballpark. I bike there. I think many are deterred because they think their bike might be stolen. Bike Valet addresses that concern.

Hubway is another good way to get to the park. In DC I think they have bike share staff that will take your bike if the ballpark docking station is full. Could work as part of bike valet for hubway as well.

Mumbles

This won’t be free for long. The Red Sox are always looking for new ways to rook their fans.